This invention relates to a carrier apparatus and more particularly to a carrier apparatus for use by fire fighters both as a carrier for fire hose and as a carrier for a person.
It is often necessary for a fire fighter to carry a length of hose from the fire truck to a distant location, where the hose will be put in use. For example, where a fire occurs in a high-rise building, shopping mall, large department store, in subway stations and in parking garages, it is necessary to carry the hose into the structure, and to then connect it to a stand pipe, and to deploy it so that water may be directed at the fire. Other instances where the carrying of a fire hose is required are where the fire occurs in a rural location, and it is necessary to transport the fire hose to a suitable source of water, such as a pool, stream or pond.
It is highly desirable that minimum time be consumed between the arrival at the site of the fire by the firemen and the discharging of water on the fire, and so the fire hose must be readily carried, and a suitable length must be carried by a single fire fighter in many instances. Further, it is necessary that the hose be paid-out rapidly and without requiring the handling of the hose at the carrier by a second fire fighter, while one fire fighter is moving with the nozzle, connected to the fire hose, towards the fire.
Among the problems which face firemen in fighting fires is the necessity for removing victims from the site of the fire, and the most facile way of handling this problem has been the calling for a stretcher by the fireman who has located the victim. This is often time consuming, especially where the fire is at a remote location from the fire engine on which the stretcher is stored, thereby necessitating an additional trip for a hard-pressed fire fighter from the fire site to the fire engine to procure the stretcher. A delay can also occur while a separate part of the fire fighting crew is directed to bring a stretcher to the site where the victim is located.
Clemens, U.S. pat. Nos. 4,442,557 and 4,478,452 incorporated herein by reference, describe a carrier apparatus for use by fire fighters which are currently being used successfully by many fire departments. Although these carriers are serving the purpose for which they were designed, they have not proved entirely satisfactory under all conditions of service for several reasons. For example, the carrier described in those patents provides for an open end at the end opposite end wall 12. As a result, a fire hose can fall out of the carrier 10 prematurely. Also, having handles 24a, 24b, 26a and 26b only at the ends of carrier 10 makes it difficult for a single fireman to lift and move carrier 10 from one place to another. The absence of a pocket or sleeve on carrier 10 also has required a fireman to carry tools, such as elevator keys and hose spanners, on his person.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a carrier apparatus for use by fire fighters which incorporates a movable end flap for retaining a hose within the carrier while enabling water and debris to pass out from the carrier through a gap between the movable flap and a bottom of the carrier.
Another object is to provide such a carrier apparatus which is designed to be carried by a single fire fighter by means of handles centrally positioned on the carrier apparatus.
A further object of the invention is the provision of such a carrier apparatus which includes a pocket or sleeve attached to an exterior surface of the carrier for receiving and storing support tools, such as elevator keys and a small hose spanner, so that the tools can be conveniently carried with the first-in equipment for fighting a high-rise building fire.
Still another object is to provide such a carrier apparatus which can be used as a carrier for fire hose and as a carrier for a fire victim.
A still further object is to provide such a carrier apparatus which is comprised of a flaccid material so that the carrier apparatus can be readily collapsed and folded for easy transportation and storage when not in use.
Still another object is to provide such a carrier apparatus which includes carrier handles at both ends of the apparatus to facilitate lifting and movement of the carrier by more than one fire fighter.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve these and other objects, the present invention provides carrier apparatus for use by fire fighters, the apparatus comprising: an elongate bottom, a first end wall connected to the bottom and first and second opposed and spaced apart side walls connected to the bottom and to the first end wall; a second end wall movably connected to the first side wall; first means in operative relationship with the second end wall and with the second side wall for removably fastening the second end wall to the second side wall; a plurality of handles connected to each of the first and second side walls for lifting and carrying the carrier apparatus and any load supported by the carrier apparatus; a plurality of straps connected to one of the side walls and extending to the other one of the side walls; and second means in operative relationship with the straps and with the other one of the side walls for releasably securing the straps to the other one of the side walls.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention.